That Hitman, Serving
by Echoing Fantasy
Summary: When rats are found within the Vongola's information network, Tsuna sends for Reborn to take care of them. Oneshot.


_That Hitman, Serving_

It wasn't often Tsuna called on Reborn to perform a hit; mostly because he didn't like having to kill, but also because his boys were old enough and strong enough now to be able to clean their own dirty laundry. So it was usually only in the most dire situations that Tsuna would send one of his smaller lads out to pay Reborn a visit. Reborn certainly had to hand it to his former student, he knew which boys to send and which to keep at home, tucked under his wing.

"A rat?" Taking a drag of one of the cigars Tsuna's messenger had brought him, he examined the paper in front of him. On the other side of the room on his knees, little Sissel sat quietly, waiting as he finished his thoughts. The boy was fourteen, but he had been raised as a runner for the mobsters that needed one, and had agreed to work for Vongola after Tsuna had taken it over and reformed it (well, he was _still _reforming it, but it was better now, more Primo-like than it had been).

A number of street rats had shown up agreeing to work for Vongola, actually. Several reliable fences, thieves, spies and runners had come, and Tsuna had sat them down and shifted through them until he'd found the golden boys in each. Reborn had felt mildly amused at the dry looks Timoteo and Iemitsu had shot Tsuna whenever they visited.

They'd learned awful quick that just because Tsuna might have been polite didn't mean he was a complete doormat; Reborn had beaten that trait out of him _very _thoroughly, and his more volatile Guardians had picked up where Reborn had left off when he'd stepped out of the tutoring business. It still brought some semblance of pride to Reborn whenever he visited the Vongola compound and witnessed Tsuna in action. Calm, composed, and ruthless in such a gentle way that many of his opponents didn't realize they'd been beaten until Tsuna's hand closed on their throat. Doubtless those hunter's eyes had been the last thing many an assassin had seen.

Of course, his allies were no exception to the rule either. None of them knew what to make of the short-stature, gentle male at first, and so they fumbled the opening move like novices. Tsuna then swooped in like the predator he pretended he wasn't and dragged them under his thumb. They were so busy being confused they never fought, and by the time they thought to their loyalties had been all but sealed. There was no way out of that kind of loyalty.

Even Reborn himself had been dragged under, but the difference was that Tsuna knew he couldn't keep Reborn – the hitman wasn't the "kept" type. So he let the man wander as he would, do jobs for other _famiglie, _put distance between himself and the main house on days when things didn't go well. But the heavy weight of reassurance was always there, that on days when there were so many sniper's eyes trained on Tsuna's back, Reborn would have his eyes trained on _their _backs, ready to take them down well before they could ever get to his boy.

It was that loyalty that resonated with Reborn now, showing him that Tsuna wouldn't have asked him out for nothing less than a very large, very smart rat. A rat Tsuna himself had even tried to sniff out, and come up empty. This job wasn't asking for Reborn the tutor, or Reborn the hitman. It was asking for Reborn the loyal monster. The one that walked in the shadows with a temper that was sharper than a razor, and twice as lethal. It was a mindset he didn't have to use often, but when he did he always enjoyed it. It let him play with some of the darker aspects of his personality, things that should never seen the light of day. Things Tsuna knew about him – that Reborn trusted him enough to let him know.

Satisfied with his examination, Reborn folded the paper over and reached into his coat for his lighter. Flicking the cap up, he set fire to the paper, tossing it onto the dirt ground to burn itself out. Once it did, he looked at Sissel. "Tell Decimo I'll see him soon."

Sissel bowed his head in thanks, and then stood, turning gracefully and letting himself out the same way he'd come in.

Reborn took another drag of the cigar (it really was quite good) and chuckled to himself, leaning back and letting the smoke rise from between his lips like smoke from a chimney. "Ten suspects, huh?" His teeth bared themselves in a devilish grin. "This should be fun."

* * *

A few nights later, Reborn made good on his word and visited Decimo in his office. As usual, the ex-tutor entered using the back window and as usual, was caught before he could even get the first threat out. "Reborn, its good to see you again. I trust your trip over was pleasant?"

Reborn snorted. Tsuna was barely visible over the stacks of paperwork surrounding his desk; papers that he could see quite plainly were courtesy of Kyouya and Mukuro going wild again. Even as adults, they were troublesome brats that enjoyed ruining a person's day. Usually Tsuna's. _Better him than me. _"It went well enough, given the circumstances of the visit," he said. "The usual rules?"

"Ah yes. I've already made sure to call all my staff in today, so you're free to roam at your leisure." The smile Tsuna aimed at him over the top of a short pile of paper was disarmingly sweet. But his eyes were sad. This never got any easier for him. "Do what you must."

Reborn tipped his hat in a wordless farewell, giving into temptation and reaching out to pet Tsuna once before leaving. His boy had grown in all sorts of ways, and that sort of growth was always worth a bit of praise. If the look in Tsuna's eyes was anything to go by, he appreciated it. His former tutor chuckled and closed the door behind him.

_Now, where to start? _He had the entire house to get through today, and ten main suspects to take a look at – he more or less already had as much information on everyone as he was going to find without going through the seedier channels in the underworld. Everyone in the house knew that Reborn only ever showed up for a good reason, which meant the rats were sure to be wary.

But wary or not, Reborn would find them and drag them before Decimo. And then he'd sit back and watch the fireworks, because if there was one bit of praise he'd never be ashamed of sharing it was that Tsuna was absolutely _gorgeous _in the grip of his Hyper Dying Will while angry. And he had at least three of Tsuna's former enemies that would back him up on that.

Tucking his hands into his pockets, Reborn strolled down the hallway and down the stairs, taking in all the little details that made up the Vongola manor. Some things were new, like the pedestals that had once been used to showcase the Vongola's considerable wealth via priceless artifacts were gone, and the "royal" colors had been pulled aside for something more subtle and homely. Reborn found his lips quirking into a smile as he realized Tsuna was more or less turning the Vongola into a home away from home. _He really is like Vongola Primo. _

"Sir Reborn?" A familiar voice called out, turning Reborn's attention away from his examination. Basil stood in the middle of a nearby hallway, papers tucked neatly under one arm and a folder in his hand. Doubtlessly he'd been on the way to visiting Tsuna. "What are you doing here?"

The shock on his face was new, Reborn silently mused. Basil had never been surprised by Reborn's impromptu visits. He took note of this fact and stowed it away for later examination while answering the blond's question. "I decided to pop in and make sure everyone's still doing what they should be doing. Not slacking off, like a certain stupid student of mine has been known to do." He smirked devilishly, snickering when Basil's eyes widened and he glanced upstairs.

"Ah, I-I see... Does Sawada-dono know you're here?" Again, that strange look of fear crossed his face. While this one was much better hidden, Reborn still saw it. Suspicion played on his mind – as much as he hated entertaining the thought that _Basil _would be the traitor, everyone in this mansion was guilty until proven innocent.

"Yes. He gave me a proper welcome, and is busy working hard. Why? Worried I might have crawled in through his blind spot?" Reborn aimed the barb well. A proper Guardian – or captain, in Basil's case – would have immediately reassured him that Tsuna had no blind spots, which was true enough. What blind spots he had were usually guarded by Reborn.

Basil flinched though, which just made Reborn suspect him all the more. "Basil," he said slowly, "you're not _hiding _anything, are you?"

And as it turned out, the blond _was._

* * *

Kneeling on Tsuna's plush carpet in his office, Reborn lurking behind him and Tsuna sitting cross-legged in his regal office chair before him, eyes glowing amber, Basil considered his life choices and what exactly had led him up to this moment. He'd made a very bad decision in trying to get Reborn's attention unnoticed it seemed, and was now being suspected of treason against Vongola Decimo. The thought made him queasy.

But he had to show them the truth of the situation – that his actions were not entirely his own right now.

"Basilicum," His boss intoned, displeasure clear. "Tell me truthfully; have you betrayed my trust?"

Basil shook his head. "No, sire," he gasped.

"Then why the fear?" Reborn asked from behind him. He could feel the man's presence like a branding iron against his back. There was a reason Reborn was called the Devil's Hitman after all.

This was his chance. He needed to catch their attention, but not their suspicion. "These lips are sealed," he whispered, body shaking as Tsuna's eyes glowed brighter and Reborn's gaze burned hotter. Jerking his arm out, he held it, shaking and looked up at Tsuna. _Please sire, see my conviction! See what I'm trying to say!_

His boss stared at the arm for a moment, and then at his desperate gaze. Tsuna silently jerked his head to Reborn, who yanked Basil up, growling, "Let's go, traitor." For a moment fear pulsed brighter in his veins (_why hadn't the message gone through? Couldn't his boss see his loyalty?_) only to recede when he realized Reborn was leading him into Tsuna's personal room, which had no cameras of any sort. Basil would have sagged against the hitman if he could, but the recorder hidden under his skin would have caught that.

Reborn gently pushed him back against a wall, hands already undoing his shirt, fingers seeking the device that was causing Basil's discomfort. Basil gasped when his fingers grazed it, buried under the first layer of his skin. "Tell me what I want to know. Who are you working for?" Reborn growled, keeping up the ruse perfectly.

"N-no!"

_**SMACK!**_

Basil didn't cry out when Reborn suddenly smacked his arm hard – anyone outside the room would think Reborn had just hit him across the face. It didn't hurt, since Reborn knew how to temper his smacks accordingly, but it did sting. "I _said, _tell me. Who. Is. Your. Boss?"

Basil whimpered, playing the part of the weak-willed subordinate. The men who had their strings in him certainly assumed him as such. "I-I don't have one! I'm working by myself!"

"Liar." _**SMACK! **_"Tell me, or shall I up the pain?" He did have to bite his lip to stop the cry of pain when Reborn pulled a pocketknife out and started cutting into his flesh around the device, careful not to trigger anything. It was a good choice, considering the device was rigged to poison him if someone tried to remove it.

"P-please d-d-don't! I'm t-telling you the truth!"

"I don't believe you. Anyone who would betray Decimo is obviously working with a partner. Nobody is stupid enough to do it by themselves – least of all the leader of the CEDEF. So try again, little worm."

"It's true!" Basil rapidly shook his head when Reborn made to dig out the device. Catching Reborn's attention, he frantically motioned with one hand, spelling the device out as best he could. Reborn's lips pinched white, and with a flick of his wrist the knife was back in his pocket and he was marching Basil out the door back to Tsuna, who was waiting patiently, eyes orange with Flame.

"Fine. Let's go talk to Decimo, and see what _he _thinks, hm?" Dumping Basil back on the ground roughly, Reborn strode over and ducked close to Tsuna, who leaned closer, as if receiving a secret. "He's been rigged. Poison and recording. I found it, but I can't get it out without hurting or killing him."

Tsuna's eyes narrowed as he caught onto the ruse and kept up with it. "Go talk to Shamal then. Ask him for something strong – a truth elixir, if he's got it. If not, perhaps something to loosen this fool's tongue."

Reborn smirked. Trust Tsuna to hide an order inside another order. Shamal would be able to come and go without suspicion and examine the poison without drawing attention to the fact he was doing so. _Sneaky boy. But then again, I did raise him as such. _"Yes Boss."

* * *

Shamal was like him. He knew how to read silent languages that often passed by other people and play along to a good game. And with cameras everywhere and no idea of how the traitors were operating outside of a single recording, it was better to keep the ruse going than to try to break it and risk killing Basil. So he approached Shamal about a "truth elixir", but by the time they left with Shamal's supplies the man was fully aware of what was going on and had a dozen or so mosquitoes tucked close, ready to supply a few dozen anti-poison agents into Basil's system so they could dig the recording out without issue.

"My my, never thought I'd see the day when Basilicum would turn against his own people. Such a shame. You would have made a pretty girl," Shamal sighed as he sat in front of Basil, blocking the camera's line of sight. Silently his mosquitoes went to work while Shamal dug around in the bag beside him, searching for the "truth elixir" Tsuna had sent for. "You might want to restrain him. This stuff burns going down."

That gave Reborn the excuse needed to move closer and block the _other _set of cameras. His grip looked tight, but was actually rather gentle as Shamal picked up a slim needed and flicked it, ridding it of any air bubbles before taking Basil's non-tagged arm in hand and inserting the needle neatly into a vein. Something cold went through him, but it warmed rapidly, and then the needle was gone and Shamal was smirking. "Fifteen minutes, and then you'll have whatever answers you'll want."

Which was another way of saying, "Fifteen minutes and we can pull the recorder out and find out the name of the slime-balls who did this to him."

Tsuna's eyes narrowed, a terrifying smirk taking over his normally peaceful features. "Good."

Reborn reopened his knife and laid it against Basil's arm, waiting patiently as Shamal ticked off the moments. As soon as he gave the nod Reborn slid the knife under the recorder and dug it out, Tsuna reappearing with a towel to wrap around his wounded limb a moment later.

"Now tell me, who are you working for?"

The device was pulled out, and while Basil did feel a wave of dizziness and exhaustion, he was coherent enough to rattle off the series of names in muttered breaths, and tell them about the _other _devices planted around the mansion. Shamal clicked his tongue and sent his mosquitoes to work while Reborn smirked, tipped his hat in farewell, and went off in the direction Basil had told him about.

He had a House to clean, and not even God himself would stop him now.

* * *

"Where are they?"

The man in front of him, a young servant by the name of Jacques, trembled as Reborn loomed over him, eyes glittering with dark intent. He was, according to Basil, the go-between for the rats, as well as their secret keeper. The perfect nut to crack – one that gave back twice what it got.

Except in Jacques case, the man was being mutinously silent about it. Reborn terrified him, that much he could tell by the tremor in his body, the way his knees bowed to let him hunch down, a mute wish to escape the man's notice without incident. But that wish would labor in vain, because Reborn wasn't about to forgive any bastard that sold secrets and tried to get the leader of the CEDEF killed.

So with a click of his tongue he pulled one of the many guns he carried on him from his jacket and put the barrel right up against Jacques temple. Jacques went white, eyes widening. A few years ago he'd done this same thing to Tsuna, except back then it had been a Dying Will bullet in the chamber and the thinly-veiled threats would have kept him alive, if somewhat bruised for a few days afterward. But this time there were no Dying Will bullets in the chamber, and the whimpering coward in front of him wasn't fit to lick the bottom of Tsuna's most worn pair of shoes.

"Let's try this again, hm? Tell me truthfully now, or my finger might just _slip..._ which dark little hole have your masters crawled into?"

Reborn reveled in the scent of fear emanating from the man. It was like a rare brand of cologne that would never be bought in a store, only brought about and created by his hands. Watching Jacques falter, remember his loyalties, and falter again, he could tell through subtle twitches alone the exact moment the shell of the hardened mafia spy cracked – hard as he might have been, Reborn was harder and five times as ruthless to boot.

"T-t-the un-underground t-tunnels," Jacques finally croaked, eyes still locked on the gun in Reborn's hand. "T-t-there's a door n-n-next to t-the sp-spoiled b-brat's offi—_**ARGH!**_"

Reborn had just pistol-whipped him, scowling. With a whine of terror Jacques dropped to the ground, hands clutching the now bleeding spot on his face. "That's _Decimo _to you, worthless scum," Reborn told him casually. True he and Tsuna might not always see eye to eye, but Reborn wouldn't let anyone demean or look down on his former student and boss.

And for someone to imply that Tsuna was "spoiled" was pushing it, even by the naysayers standards. Anyone who had ever been in the mafia would know that the higher the position, the more work was given and the less time the person in charge got to themselves. Tsuna was not only the Don of a prominent _famiglia, _he was also in charge of a large number of other allies and territories, and any movement he made would inevitably have thousands of eyes following and judging him. He had to be careful with who he associated, when he went out, what he wore, what he said, what he _did. _So it was safe to say that out of everyone in the _famiglia, _Tsuna was effectively the least spoiled.

Stepping over the downed man, Reborn tucked the gun away and continued on. Now that he had the information he needed, there was no longer a use for the traitor behind him. He heard Jacques scrambling to his feet and rushing in the opposite direction, only to choke, gasp and fall to the ground in a dead heap seconds before he reached the door that would lead out of the room.

Shamal also wasn't one to be trifled with when it came to Decimo – he reacted to insults about as well as Reborn did, or any of Tsuna's inner circle really. It was because Tsuna was the first to ask him to join the Vongola as a _doctor, _instead of an _assassin. _For someone to insult the man who had granted Shamal's greatest wish – it was sure to lead to only one thing.

Leaving the body for the doctor and his assistants to clean up, Reborn continued on his way.

* * *

The underground tunnels had been discovered by Settimo in his later years; however it wasn't until Ottavo took over that they were put into use. She had used her earlier years in the position to clean the place up, and talk to her engineers and scientists about what it would take to use it as a sort of power station for the Vongola manor, since there was only one way in or out of it, and it was too deep underground to be dug up. She managed to put the outlines into place, but the job was finally finished with Nono's reign, right before the birth of his sons. Nobody was sure if the tunnels had been made by one of the previous Vongola bosses, or if they had been built before the manor was and were part of a previous building. The general consensuses was that regardless the tunnels were damn useful, and the area was locked down for use by only a select few.

The fact that riffraff managed to get down here scratched at Reborn's temper like nothing else. He moved from pillar to pillar, keeping to the shadows and remaining silent as he moved. At the same time he listened for any unusual movements; the rustle of cloth, footsteps, voices, anything that would tell him where his targets were. He doubted all ten were down here at once – that would be too much of a coincidence, but with any luck he could put a dent in their numbers before he had to go round up the rest.

Or maybe Shamal would beat him to it. The man was certainly peeved enough to do it.

"-cameras aren't working in the area for some reason." A snippet of an echoing voice had him smoothly shifting into a new direction, staying close to the wall. "We might have to find another way in there."

"Shh! Lower your voice, fool! Do you want us to get caught?"

"Oh shut up Lory, its not like anyone's down here! Besides, this place is off-limits to anyone except the head whelp and the engineers. We'll be fine."

Reborn felt the burn of his temper rise a bit at the insult to Tsuna. Still he kept moving, not giving into the urge to unleash a barrage of bullets just yet. He had to find out how many there were, and if he could actually get a shot off without hurting the machines and wires down here and causing something to blow out up top. Tsuna didn't need another headache.

Distant footsteps suddenly drew his attention down the tunnel a ways, towards an intersection. Another man was drawing close, yet even when he was right in front of Reborn he didn't see him. The hitman was good at hiding when he needed to. "What the hell are you two still doing still sitting on your asses? Hurry up and come help me look through the footage. We've got to find what's valuable to sell to the brokers before the week is up."

"We've still got three days!" One of the others protested.

"I don't care! I don't like those bastards, and I want to get this done as quickly as possible and be done with it!"

"What's the matter? Afraid of getting caught?"

"Please. The bitch up top wouldn't know the first place to look."

That sealed it. Leveling his pistol at the back of the man's head, he stepped out of the shadows, enjoying how the faces of the other two went white, eyes bulging. "Oh really?"

"Oh fuck," one of them breathed, scrambling to run, "Oh _FUCK!"_

Reborn didn't bother questioning them. He simply aimed and shot, all three bullets hitting the men in the head. With a single shot they were down, trails of dark blood leaking from the hole in their foreheads. Grimly satisfied for the moment, Reborn tucked his gun away and pulled his phone out, dialing a familiar number. "Shamal? I've got three here."

"_What a coincidence. I was just about to call you. My darlings have rounded up five more, all incapacitated as of now. I'll be dragging their corpses out tonight. Where are yours at?"_

"In the tunnels. Caught them as they were mouthing off."

"_Yours too? Mine were going on and on about how wimpy your boy looked. My fingers got all slippery in the heat of the conversation."_

"Imagine that, so did mine." Flexing his hands and grinning even though he knew Shamal wouldn't see it, he switched topics for a time. "How's Tsuna holding up?"

"_The evil paperwork has chased him out of his office. He's hiding in the kitchens for a time. Said something about grabbing something to bite and then heading back up for a second round."_

Reborn's smirk softened. "Good boy."

"_He's yours, what did you expect?"_

"Hm. So we've got two targets left?"

"_Unless my math is suddenly failing me, yes. My girls are searching for them now, but it wouldn't surprise me if they heard the commotion and have gone to ground. Vongola's gossip vines are always growing, after all."_

"We'll find them. For right now, let's show Tsuna what we do have, and hope its enough. We can pick up the scent again in a few days – it'll give our boys enough time to get cocky again."

"_Sounds like a plan. See you upstairs."_

With a click, the line went dead. Folding the phone back up, he slid it into his jacket pocket, then reached down, gathering up the bodies. For once, these were deaths that Tsuna wouldn't be sad over – deaths that were unavoidable. And in Reborn's humble opinion, it was the only punishment they deserved for making his boy hurt.

* * *

Tsuna examined the line of bodies in front of him, eyes lingering on the neat holes in the men's head, and then at the equally neat red mosquitoes bites on their necks. Shamal had infected them with a fast-acting strain of Black Plague, and it had skipped most of the nastier symptoms and gone straight for the heart. In some ways, he was impressed and thankful. No messy deaths made his job easier.

But at the same time, part of him was still growling in vindictive fury – because of these men, his family and friends were in danger, and their enemies were prowling around his borders, waiting for a chance to take a bite. Reborn and Shamal stood silently behind him, waiting for his judgment. Both men already knew what was on his mind, having been around him long enough to read him clearly even with his back turned, but he had to issue the order aloud to make it official.

Voice cold, he ordered, "Bring me the last two alive. You can play with them as much as you want beforehand, but they had better be alive when they hit my doorstep."

Reborn and Shamal both smirked. "Yes Decimo," they said in unison, inclining themselves forward in a single bow. They didn't look back as they left, the scent of burnt flesh wafting through the air behind them moments later.

* * *

"Kneel."

Two bodies hit the ground in front of Tsuna, each held in place with a single foot. Blazing eyes looked them over, taking note of the various cuts, bruises, broken bones, and various bite marks on their bodies. Reborn and Shamal had taken Tsuna's advice and played with their targets for a bit, both men letting go of their darker emotions in soundproof rooms where none of the screams or pleas for mercy could escape. As it was, both of the traitors were trembling, fully aware that despite being close to death, they would not be given release just yet.

Now it was Tsuna's time to play.

"For the lives you have endangered," he uttered, voice dark and angry, "For the lives of the loyal ones you have _cost me, _and for those that you would sell out because of petty greed, your blood will run tonight."

With the moon high overhead, and Tsuna's flames burning higher and hotter – darker – than Reborn had seen him in a long time, their leader looked like something out of a horror movie. "A pound of flesh for their lives, lost and hurt," he whispered, and then lunged, an inhuman roar tearing itself from his throat.

That night, those that spoke out against Vongola Decimo learned just how far he was willing to go to protect what was his. What he would do to keep those he loved safe from harm. What he would say to impress upon the world just how bad of a decision it was to attack him or his loved ones. And they learned just how protective the two hitman that currently stood side-by-side were, when their chosen leader was hurt.

"He's not going to sleep well after this," Shamal murmured, idly watching as body parts went flying. "I've got a batch of sleeping tonic I'll give him later, to help with the nightmares."

"He's going to be moody and touchy for the next few days as well," Reborn agreed, tipping his hat down, "Fortunately I've already gone out and bought his favorite treats and got a couple of movies I think he'll enjoy."

"Should I assume we're going to be sleeping on the couch with him tonight?"

"Might as well. You know how he gets."

Both men exchanged a fond look in the direction of the carnage, at the boy that had saved them, endearing himself to quite a few people in the process.

"Yeah. But it's all worth it, in the end."

"You said it."

* * *

Author's Notes

Listening to Abney Park's _The Wrong Side _suddenly caused this to happen. It's a bit of a tonal shift from what I normally do where Reborn's concerned, but I enjoyed writing it.

Originally it was just supposed to be about Reborn serving Tsuna (hence the title and summary) but Shamal inserted himself into the mix and refused to be left out. I like to think Shamal likes Tsuna not only for granting him the ability to be a doctor without the assassin attachment, but also because Tsuna's become a second shelter for Gokudera, and he took care of him when Shamal couldn't. It's pretty much the same reason Bianchi likes him and sticks with the Family instead of going off on her own.

Let me know what you think. :)


End file.
